Process of reducing ores.



FRANK J. TONE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORh.

PROCESS OF REDUCING OREB.

Specification (Letters Patent.

Patented May 1 1, 1909.

Application iiled April 11. 1906. Serial No. 811,039.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK J. Tome, of Niagarai alls, Niagara county, New York, have invented a ncwand useful Process of Reducing Ores, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which= Figure l is a sectional side elevation showing one form of apparatus for carrying out my method; and Fig. 3 is a sinii or view showing another form ofthc apparatus.

My invention relates to the reducing or smelting of ores in an electric furnace; especiallv, the, reduction of refractory ores.

The inv' ntion is designed to assist in the reduction f the material. and facilitate the removal from the zone of the arc.

To that end, the invention consists broadly in causing the products to descend from the reaction zone of the are along an electrically heated resistance conductor. The products may be either wholly reduced or partially reducedby the are before thEy descend along the su plemcntal conductor.

In tlie drawings, referring to the form of Fig. l, 2 re iresents a refractory receptacle Within whic 1 depends the upper electrode 3, constituting one terminal of the electric f urnace. In a hole in the bottom of the receptacle is placed the carbon base-block 4 which constitutes the other terminal. On the central )art'of this base-block rests a resistance con uetor 5, which in this form consists of a colunnrgof carbon or other conductive refractory inaterial, which is sofmlned as to give resistance to the passage of thc'cur-rent and therefore heat the product of the furnace as it descends from the zone of reaction. The upper end 6 of the resistance conductor 5 constitutes the lower electrode of the are, which is maintained bet ween the lower end of the upper electrode 3 and the top of the resistance conductor. The charge 7, which preferabl consists of ore or a compound containing t e material to be reduced, together with a reducing agent. preferably fills the furnace and surrounds the upper electrode, so that the arc is completely inclosed in the mass of charge. As reduction progresses, the reduced products descend along the heated resistance conductor into the receiving space 8 in the lower end of the cavit from which they ma be tapped at intcrva 5 through the tap ho e 9.

The electric circuit which maintains the are may constitute the same circuit or a different circuit from that used to beat the resistance conductor. Thus, in Fig. 2, I show a furnace in which two electric circuits are employed. In this form the resistance conductor 5 consists of a cylinder or tube of carbon, or other refractory conductive material, having connections 10 and 11 to a source of electric current by which it is heated. In this form, I have shown the upper electrodes 3 as projecting through holes in the sides of the furnace. The char e 7' fills the furnace as before, being introt uced at the top; and after it passes through the zone of reduction formed by the arc the products descend within the heated resistance tube to the receiving space 8" in the. bottom of the furnace cavity. From this neceiving space they may be tapped out at'iritervals through the to hole 9 The advantages 0 my invention result from the action of the electrically heated resistance conductor, along which the reduced or partly reduced roducts descend before being removed. 1e resistance OOilIdQOtO! aids in completing the reduction of artially reduced material, also helps to agglomerate small fused masses and particles and facilitotes their removal from the zone of the are.

I thus aid in preventing volatilization and absorption, or other loss of product.

The process is especially applicable tothe reduction of elements which atthe temperature 'of reduction are subjectto losses by aolatilization for example, silicon and aluminum. The products volatilized may be the ores, the reduced elements or secondary compounds formed in reduction. It is important in reducing such elements to avoid excessive localizing of heat and to remove the products from the zone of great heat as soon as they are formed. This-is accomlished by the resistance conductor, which heats the products, and assists in k'ee 'ing them in a fused condition facilitating t eir removal, and which also agglomerates separated particles and provides an cas path for descent to the receiving; or co looting space.

Within the scope of my invention, man other forms of furnaces may be employed also other forms of conductor electrodes, &c., may be employed without departing from my invention.

Lit

1 The method of reducing ores or compounds consisting in electrically heating the compound and the red ucing agent within the reduction zone of an electric arc, to a temperature suflicient to reduce the compound, removing the reduced product by gravity away from the reduction zone, and c *ctrically heating said roducts during such descent and remova said heating being accomplished in a zone below and distinct from the reduction zone substantially as described.

2. The method of reducing orcs or compounds consisting in electrically heating a charge of the compound and a reducing agent within the reduction zone ol an electric are to a temperature suliicicnt to reduce the compound, removing the products as they are formed therein by gravity along a. resistance conductor, and electrically hcating the products as they are thus removed from the reduction temperature of said zone,

said heating being accomplished in a zombelow and distinct from the reduction zone substantially as d cscribed.

3. The method of reducing ore-s or 001m pounds consisting in maintaining a reduction zone by means of an electric are, collecting the products at a point below and removed from the said reduction zone, causing the products to descend from the reduction zone to the collecting and electrically heating the products during their removal and descent from the reduction zone to the collcctin r space, said heating being accomplished in a zone below and distinct from the reduction zone substantially as described. i

4. The process of reducing refractory ores which consists in heating a charge of the compound and a reducing agent" to a reducing temperature within the reaction zone of an electric arc furnace, removing the products as they are formcd by causing them to descend out of the reaction zone along an electrically heatedresistancc conductor, the upper end of which constitutes the lower electrode of said arcfurnace, andcollccting the fused products in a lower receiving'spacc, substantially as described.

'5. Thepro'cess of reducing compounds of elements which at; the temperature of reduction are'subject to losses by volatilization,

whichconsists indicating a chargeof the compound and a reducing agent m'an cloctnc arc furnace,keep ngthe maximum temperature of the charge atal point which will space as they are formed,

' pounds, w

substantially prevent volatilization losses, causing the products to descend from the reaction zone of the are along an electrically heated resistance conductor, and collecting the fused product in a receiving Space; substantially as described.

6. The )POCGSS of reducing silicon compounds, which consists in heating a chargioi" the compound and a reducing agent in an electric arc furnace, keeping the 1naximum tcm'lcrature of the charge at a point which wil substantially prevent volatilizetion losses, causing the silicon to descend ll'Olll thc reaction zone of the are along an clcctrically heated resistance conductor, and collecting the fused product in a receiving space; substantially as described.

7. The n'ocess of reducing silicon comliich consists in heating a charge of the compound and a reducing agent in an clcctric arc furnace, keeping the maxi- Illtllll temperature of the charge at a point which will substantially prevent volatilizetion losses, causing the silicon to descend from the reaction zone of the are along an clcctricallyheatcd .vertical resistance column, the top of which constitutes the lower electrode of said are furnace, and collecting the fused product in a receiving space; substan tially as described.

8. The process of reducing refractory ores which consists in heating a charge of the compound and a reducing agent in an electric arc furnace, withdrawing the products from the region of the are as they are formed and maintaining them in a fused state during such withdrawal by means of an electrically heated resistance conductor; substantially as described. i A

1). The method of reducing ores or compounds, consisting in heating a charge of the compound and a reducing agent in the reduction zone of an electric are, collecting the re sulting products in a receiving space distant from the reaction zone of the lurnace, and interposing between the-reaction zone and the receiving space an electrically-heated path along whiclrthe products travel said path being a heated zone distinct from the reduction zone; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

kltANlt J. TONIC. W itnesses:

' AsnMnAn G. itooenits,

A. I). KYsoa. 

